Washing machine



M. SGAULTIER l- AL WASHING ACHIN Filed 0M 26, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Merrill Lffagette Alexander Mich ael Phfl'lip Gaultier MW W M. P. GAULTIER E'I'AL 23581051- Oct. 7, 1941.

' WASHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ill/4i? I Fil ed Oct. 26, 1938 I "II/1,11 11,11): 3 I Merrill Laffag ett Alexander IIIIIIIIIIIiIi/II/I,

(III/II/I/II/I/IIIIIIA \v\\\1 Michael .Phi11i Gauliier O 1941- I M. P. GAULTIER Er AL 1,

WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 26, 1933 4 sheetfislmt 3 Wk. "T ,54 )1 A *1 66 25 k l V 0 7'7 ,7 5 58 1' a4 v I A 3 4;1 4o"j4 '19 1 L ,4 42

98 \\\\\\\\V////I; .II r I M c Michael PhiHip-Gauhier Merrill Laffgette mama Oct. 7, 1941. v M. P. GAULTIIER ETAL I WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct 26, 1958 4 Shejets-Shet 4 Merrill 'Laffayett'e Alexander Michael Phillip Gauliier Patented Oct. 7, 19.41

UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE Michael Phillip Ganltier. st. Paul, and Merrill Laflayette Alexander, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application October 26, 1938, Serial No. 231,036

4 Claims. (01. 192-33) This invention relates to improvements in washing machines, an object thereof being to provide a simple, durable, efllcient and relatively inexpensive-washing machine employing agitaplungers, being adapted to bring them to rest in" elevated position and to hold the same securely in such position.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear in the following description, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a rear elevational view of a washing machine embodying our invention, the same being shown as attached to a stationary laundry tub; a portion of the tub being broken away and the rear panel of the machine case being removed; Fig. 2.is a detail sectional view, in elevation, taken as on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, in elevation, taken as on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4

is a fragmentary sectional view, in'plan, taken as on the line 44 of Fig. 1; Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Fig. 4 showing certain parts in difierent positions; Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view, in plan; taken as on the line 7'| of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view, in elevation, taken as on the line 8-3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view, in elevation, taken as-on the line 39 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view, in elevation, taken as on the line i0l0 of Fig. 5.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar parts throughout the several views are designated by similar reference characters, it will be observed that the illustrated apparatus comprises a washing machine which may be applied to a stationary laundry tub I! of conventional design having an intermediate partition l3 forming two compartments or receptacles a, b in the tub structure. The washing machine includes a main cabinet-like section A for the tub receptacle a and also an auxiliary cabinet-like section B for the second tub receptacle b. The main machine section A carries a wringer C in position overhanging the forward portion of the tub partition l3.

The mainsection A of the washing machine includes a bed plate It which covers the rear portion of tubreceptacle a and the auxiliary section B includes a bed plate 18 which .covers the rear portion of the tub receptacle b. w

and partition of the tub l2 and it is upon these strips that the bed plates I. rest. 1

The main machine section A is. equipped with a pair of vertically reciprocable plungers, each indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral l3. These plungers are located side by side and each thereof has a tubular stem [9 guided in a a packing gland 20 located near theforward edge of the bed plate l3. Also included in each plunger'structure is a vacuum cup 2| provided with an axial boss 22 formed with a concentric groove 23' into which the lower end of the tubular stem I3 is seated, said boss being secured to said stem l3 by means of a fastening pin 24 passing through the boss and the portion of said stem seated therein. Still further included in each plunger structure is a rod 25 having a cylindrical head 26 thereon (Fig. 9) slidably fitted in the tubular stem l3. Threaded into the upper end of the tubular stem I3 and pinned thereto is a cap 21' which is apertured toreceive the rod 25. Within said tubular stem l9 are upper and lower helical springs 23, 29, the former encircling the rod 25 and compressed between said cap 21 and the upper end of the head 26, while the latteris compressedbetween the lower end ofsaid head 28 and the boss 22 of the vacuum cup 2l.- The upper ends of the rods 25 of the companion plungers I 3 are threaded and secured by means of'opposing nuts 30 to the opposite ends of a cross-head 3| fitted with upper and lower rollers 32 which travel in a. way 33 formed between two upright guides 34, flanged as at 35, to receive said rollers, said guides having their footing on rails 31 flanged at their edges, as at 38. The

cross-head 3l, carrying the plungers I8, is recipthe same in rolling contact therewith to elevate Topromote quietness of operation and to render the covering of the tub structure by said bed plates water-tight, gasket strips ll of soft rubber are applied to the upper edges of the walls through a coupling 46 with a main shaft aligned therewith and extending longitudinally of the bed plate It. This main shaft 41 is journaled in and extends through the gear housing 42 beneath the crank shaft 39 at right angles,

thereto. Gearing within the housing 42 for ment I which is engaged by the arm 11 when the lug I0 would enter the recess II at the trailing portion thereof rather than at its leading A portion. When said arm thus engages said se mental abutment I0 the unclutching throw of the lever 51 is thereby interrupted, such interrupting continuing until the partially annular I00 outside thereof, the inner end of said rod I00 being connected through a link I0I with an arm I00 on said rock shaft I00.

The hollow pedestal 03 on which the gear housing 02 is mounted provides a compartment I09 with a bottom opening therein which is closed abutment 14 on the turning crank wheel 00 passes the lug I3 and permits it to enter the leading portion of the recess I5. The leading end of the segmental guard I0 is beveled to provide a cam shoulder 80 engageable with the arm I1 to latch the crank wheel 00 against continued rotation when the lug I3 enters the leading portlon of the recess I5, this latching action being readily effected due to the little momentum present in the unclutched crank wheel 00 on the upstroke of the plungers I0. When the rod 65 is pulled upon to turn the rock shaft 00 and reclutch the crank wheel 00, said cam shoulder 00 on the guard I0 cooperates with the'arm 11 to insure further turning of the rock shaft 50 after clutch engagement and with such promptness that the lug I3 is caused to swing out of the trailing portion of the recess I5 and clear the crank wheel 00.

A gear housing 8| is provided .for the wringer C, said housing being cast integrally with a by a sealing panel IIO of glass. In said compartment I00 is an electric lamp III for illuminating the interior of the tub receptacle (1. This lamp III may be energized by the electrical cirmm with which the motor 00 is connected.

A filler-neck Ill cast integrally with the bed plate I6 is cut away at one side thereof to admit thereto the end of a-swinging faucet nozzle of standard 02 which has its footing on the bed I plate I6. Also cast integrally with the gear housing M is a mounting bracket 83 formed with flanges 00 against which the front of the case is positioned. The wringer C has a mounting head 05, the same being clamped against the front of the case 50 and to the flanges 00 of the 4 -mounting bracket by means of bolts 00 extending through said mounting head 05, case 50 and flanges 00. Also extending through the case a 58 is the wringer shaft 81 the same being driven, when desired, in one direction or the other through gearing from the driving motor 00. This wringer gearing includes a counter shaft 80 in which a coupling 09 is incorporated, said counter shaft being mounted at one end in the gear housing 02 and at the other end in thege'ar housing 0|. Within said housing 02, the counter shaft 08 has a bevel gear keyed thereto and which meshes with a bevel gear 9| out integrally with the worm wheel 00, while within the housing 8| said counter shaft 00 is supplied with bevel gears 92, 80 loosely mounted thereon. Meshing the type usually employed in connection with partitioned tubs. This filler-neck is normally closed by a disc valve H5 carried on a pivoted counter-weighted arm I I6, said valve being readily unseated by the force of the water entering the filler-neck Ill and introduced thereinto to be directed thereby into the tub receptacle a.

The tub stopper H1 in the receptacle a may be conveniently removed from the drain opening -I I8 by means of an upright pull rod H9 slidably mounted in the bed plate I0, said rod being connected at its lower end to said stopper by a chain I20 and supplied at its upper, end with a finger button I! I.

Except for the wringer C and driving mechanism therefor, the auxiliary machine section B is a substantial duplicate of the construction of the main machine section A, hereinbefore dewith both of said bevel gears 02, 00 is a bevel gear 90 which is pinned to a stub-shaft 90 mounted in said gear case 0| and connected by a coupling 96 to the wringer shaft 01. Feathered on the counter shaft "between the two gears 02, 00

is a clutch collar 01 having an annular groove 90 therein which receives an eccentric pin 00 depending from a rock shaft I00 mounted in the cover of the housing 0I'. Through -the medium of the rock shaft I00 the clutch collar 01 is moved from a neutral position into either of two clutching positions, one resulting in the engagement of a lug IN on the collar 01 with a lug I02 on the 'gear 02 and the other resulting in the engagement of a lug I00 on said collar 01 with a,

lug I00 on the gear 00. In one of these clutching positions of said collar-01, the wringer shaft 0! is turned in one direction and in the other of said clutching positions of the collar, said wringer shaft is turned'in anopposite direction. To 'turn the rock shaft I00 and thereby position the clutch collar 01 as desired, we provide a pushpull rod I05 which extends through the front of the case 00 and is supplied with a finger knob scribed, and since'most of the parts of said auxiliary section B bear the same reference characters as their counterparts in the main machine section A, a repetition of the previous detailed description will be unnecessary. It may be noted, however, that the main shaft I22'of the auxiliary machine section B is connected by a coupling I20 to the main shaft 01 of the main machine section A, said main shaft 01 being extended through the end wall of the case 58 of said main section A. The Joint made between the open end of the case 00 of the auxiliary machinesectionB and the adjacent closed end of the case '50 of .the main section A is finished by means of a band I20 so that.when said main machine section A is supplemented by said auxiliary section B a unitary appearance is given to the composite structure;

Either or both of the machine sections A, B may be used for sudsing or rinsing according to the nature of the washing liquid contained in their respective tub receptacles. the main machine section A" will be used for sudsing the articles to be washed and the aux-' iliary section B will be used in rinsing the suds articles. Thus, in use, the tub receptacle a will be supplied with hot water through the fillerneck Ill of the main machine section A, soap and/or other cleansing compound being added To the rinsing water similarly to such water. supplied to the tub receptacle b, bluirig or the like may be added. The articles to be cleaned will be readily introduced into the tub receptacle 6 beneath the elevated vacuum cups 2|, suchprocess being facilitated by reason of the illumination of the interior of said receptaclea After starting" the motor 00, the reciprocation of the plungers I0 is started by pulling on the knob 00 of the push-pull rod 00. Thereupon' the vacuum cups 2| operate in the well known manner of such instrumentalitles to agitate the articles and force the sudsing water through the fabric thereof. Tointerrupt the operation of the plung- Commonly,

Changes m the specific form of our invention,

as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a vertically reclprocablc ole merit, a drive shaft, a crank shaft having a crank wheel thereon connected with said element and revoluble in one direction to reciprocate the same, a clutch interposed between said crank shaft and drive shaft and including co-acting members, one

thereof being movable relative to the other, a.

mole shaft connected with said movable clutch member and rockable to shift the same reversely to engage and disengage said clutch, a lever on the rock shaft for turning the same forth and back, a lug on said lever, said crank wheel having a concentric abutment at one face thereof and a recess interrupting said abutment and providing a stop shoulder at the leading end of the recess, said lug being adapted to be received in said recess when in registry therewith, otherwise to bearslldably against said abutment until such registry is attained upon the throw of said lever to disengage said clutch, the reception of said lug by said recess allowing completion of the clutch disengaging throw of said lever, said recess being so located in the crank wheel as to permit clutch disengagement substantially at the top of the stroke ofsaid element, said-stop shoulder bebear slidably against said abutment until such registry is attained upon the throw of said lever to disengage acid clutch, the reception of said lug by said recess flowing completion of the clutch disengaging throw of said lever, said recess being so located in the crank wheel as-to permit clutch disengagement substantially at the top of the ing adapted to engage said lug to prevent counter rotation of the crank wheel, said recess being elongated to provide clearance at the trailing portion thereof for said lug upon the clutch engaging throw of said lever, an arm on said rock shaft, a

guard on the crank wheel engageable by said arm to arrest the clutch diseng ing throw of said lever when said lug is in registry with said trailstroke of said. element, said stop shoulder being adapted to engage said log to preventcounter rotation of the cranlr wheel, said recess being elongated to provide clearance at the trailing portion thereof for said lug upon the clutch engaging throw of said lever, an arm on. said rock shaft, and a guard on the crank wheel engagable by said arm to arrest the clutch disengaging throw of said lever when said lug is in registry with said trailing portion of said recess.

3. In combination, a vertically reciprocable elethe rock shaft for turning the .same forth and back, a. latching on said lever, said crank wheel having a. concentric abutment at one face thereof and a recess interrupting said abutment, an end well ofsaid recess providing a stop shoulder, said latch lug being adapted to be received in said recess when in registry therewith, otherwise to bear slidably against said abutment until such registry is attained upon the throw of said lever to disengage said clutch, the reception of said lug by said recess allowing completion of the clutch disengaging throw of said lever, said recess being so located in the crank'wbeel as to permit clutch disengagementin an elevated position of said element, said stop shoulder being adapted to engage said lug to prevent rotation of the crank wheel in a direction to lower said element.

4. In combination, a vertically reciprocable ele ment, a drive shaft, a. crank shaft having a crank wheel thereon connected with said element and revolublc in one direction to reciprocate the same. a clutch interposed between said crank shaft and lag portion of said recess, the leading and of said in drive shaft, said clutch including co-acting memguard providing a cam co-operating with said arm to latch the unclutched crank wheel against movement/in the direction of'lts normal rotation and further cooperating with said arm to cause bers, one thereof being movable relative to the other, a rock shaft connected with said movable cluch member and rockable to shift the same reversely to engage and disengage said clutch, a

it positively to continue the turning of the rock lever on the rock shaft for turning the same forth shaft started by movement of said lever in a direction initiating the engagement of the clutch.

2. In combination, a vertically reciprocable element, 8. drive shaft, a crank shaft having a crank and back, .a' lug on said lever, said crank wheel having a. concentric abutment at one face thereof and a recess interrupting said abutment, the

wheel thereon connected with said element and 5 revoluble in one direction to reciprocate the same, a clutch interposed between said crank shaft and drive shaft and including coacting members, one thereof being movable relative to the other, a rock shaft connected with said movable clutch member and rockable to shift the same reversely to engage and disengage said clutch, a lever on the rock shaft for turning the same forth and back, a. lug on said lever, said crank wheel having a concentric abutment at one face thereof and a recess interrupting said abutment and providing a stop shoulder at the leading end of the recess, said lug being adapted to be received in said recess when -in registry therewith, otherwise to leading end wall of said recess providing a. stop shoulder, said lug being adapted to be received in said recess when in registry therewith, otherwise to bear slidably against said abutment until such registry is attained upon the throw of said lever to disengage said clutch, the reception of said lug by said recess; allowing completion of the clutch disengaging throw of said lever, said recess being so located in the crank wheel as to permit MICHAEL PH'IILIP mm LAFFAYE'I'I'E ALEXANDER. 

